Visit to Fleam Dyke - Chalk Hill Blue butterflies everywhere!

30th July 2022 - four ANW members had a great trip along Fleam Dyke, witnessing literally thousands of Chalk Hill Blue butterflies. At virtually every step there was a Chalk Hill Blue on the path, and looking either side one could easily see ten or twelve within a few feet. Along the kilometre or so of the dyke we walked, there really must have been thousands. Male Chalk Hill Blue butterflies are pale blue on the upper with a contrasting black and white border, whereas the females are mostly brown with orange spots on the lower wing, also with a white border.  Undersides are very similar to the Common Blue, but lack the bright orange spots on the upper wing, with males tending to be paler than females.

There were also one or two of several other butterfly species, and also a few interesting chalkland plants such as Horseshoe Vetch and Clustered Bellflower.

Male Chalk Hill Blue

Female Chalk Hill Blue

Male Chalk Hill Blue

Female Chalk Hill Blue

Mating pair Chalk Hill Blue

Male Chalk Hill Blue on Fireweed

Male Chalk Hill Blue

Female Chalk Hill Blue

Male Chalk Hill Blues on Common Knapweed

Male Chalk Hill Blues

Male Chalk Hill Blue and Small Skipper on Greater Knapweed

Male Chalk Hill Blue on Fireweed

Female Chalk Hill Blue

Comma [photo David F]

Nursery Web Spider

Nursery Web Spider

Nursery Web Spider

Greater Knapweed

Bryony

Ground Thistle

Squinancy Wort

Common Rock-rose

Abington NatureWatchers in action [photo David F]

[photos by Andy M, unless otherwise indicated]